Billy
starting to shine!
Member since March 2004
Posts: 25
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clean
Mar 2, 2004 20:48:43 GMT -5
Post by Billy on Mar 2, 2004 20:48:43 GMT -5
can anybody give me a hint about cleaning between grits and how should I clean to get all the polish off
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clean
Mar 2, 2004 21:31:14 GMT -5
Post by docone31 on Mar 2, 2004 21:31:14 GMT -5
The polish is like a grit. It comes off with a wash. Cleaning between grits. I usually run the stones through clean water in a strainer. With picky stones, I will run a clean water bath with borax for one day. I have heard of folks using brushes and really putting labour into it. I have not found that neccessary. Experience will dictate the approach you use.
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Banjocreek
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since March 2003
Posts: 1,115
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clean
Mar 2, 2004 23:39:57 GMT -5
Post by Banjocreek on Mar 2, 2004 23:39:57 GMT -5
Before I got a seperate barrel for each step, I would rinse the stones and the beads with water, then put them back in the barrel a run them for a few hours with a tbls. of cascade, then rinse them again. The beads would go in a ziplock bag that I would label with whatever grit they ran with. Then I would put in new beads and fresh water enough so just the tops of the rocke were exposed, and add the next size grit and repeat the process in 7 days. I'd add more beads and a little ivory soap in the last two stages.
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MichiganRocks
starting to spend too much on rocks
"I wasn't born to follow."
Member since April 2007
Posts: 154
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clean
Mar 3, 2004 9:49:25 GMT -5
Post by MichiganRocks on Mar 3, 2004 9:49:25 GMT -5
I agree with Doc about the brushing. I've spent hours examining rocks with my jewelers loupe and brushing with a tooth brush, and results were no different than if I just put them in a strainer and rinsed them thoroughly. My next load that comes up is going to get run with borax to clean. The more I read up on borax, the more I think that Doc has the right idea with it as well.
Ron
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RiverOtter
spending too much on rocks
Member since January 2004
Posts: 339
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clean
Mar 3, 2004 10:19:42 GMT -5
Post by RiverOtter on Mar 3, 2004 10:19:42 GMT -5
The borax is great stuff. I recently bought some and started using it to run the rocks in between grit stages. Saturday I removed my rose quartz from the medium grit and rinsed. I noticed one stone in particular that had a deep crevice in it and grit was present there. I put the stones back in the barrel with borax and ran for a day. When I pulled it on Sunday the stone with the grit in the crevice was completely cleaned. To me it's well worth the extra day.
Otter
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SirRoxalot
freely admits to licking rocks
Member since October 2003
Posts: 790
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clean
Mar 3, 2004 16:35:10 GMT -5
Post by SirRoxalot on Mar 3, 2004 16:35:10 GMT -5
I double wash - and always find some grit coming out in the second rinse. I also have to confess that I spend a lot of time grading and using a nail brush on the stones, but I'll probably grow out of that habit. How much time you have to spend cleaning relates to the quality of the rough; if it's full of pits and cracks, lordy, you've got to work on it. If you can bring the rocks to a nice polish without having to scrub them, goodonya. I'd say the one time you gotta have them clean is before you start the polish - carried over grit is probably the main cause of poor polishing.
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Billy
starting to shine!
Member since March 2004
Posts: 25
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clean
Mar 3, 2004 19:56:11 GMT -5
Post by Billy on Mar 3, 2004 19:56:11 GMT -5
thanks for all the feedback I have a vib18 and it holds a lot of rocks I clean with a toothbrush and it takes a while but I will try the borax this load
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llanago
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since January 2004
Posts: 1,714
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clean
Mar 4, 2004 9:36:34 GMT -5
Post by llanago on Mar 4, 2004 9:36:34 GMT -5
Where do ya'll find Borax? I have looked in every grocery store I have been in and at WalMart, but there is none to be found! Am I just not looking the right places or am I gonna have to order some online?
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MichiganRocks
starting to spend too much on rocks
"I wasn't born to follow."
Member since April 2007
Posts: 154
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clean
Mar 4, 2004 9:40:23 GMT -5
Post by MichiganRocks on Mar 4, 2004 9:40:23 GMT -5
Hi Ilana. I've found it in the grocery store (A&P) and in KMart with the laundry detergents. Look for "Twenty Mule Team Borax".
Ron
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